Lexi on becoming a mother & being cyberbullied

Former reality TV star Lexi Van who is pregnant with her first child has come out guns blazing after she was body-shamed by cyberbullies

Lexi and her bae, Mandla Hlatshwayo announced that they were set to become parents on social media in February.

“We’re pretty excited but nervous too. We’re so blessed,” Lexi told TshisaLIVE.

Lexi added that she was initially skeptical to make her pregnancy public knowledge.

“Social media has become so toxic. I was very skeptical to share my pregnancy with my followers but some of these people have been part of our journey since day 1 and I think it was really sweet to share the news with them.”

Letting the world into her journey also Lexi fall prey to cyberbullies who labelled her “ugly” on Instagram.

She said she was left shocked and hurt by some of the comments that were made by both men and women on a daily basis.

“To all the women who thinking it's okay to break women down and throw insults, I understand why. You're nothing but insecure, ugly, inside and out, bored and have no idea what kindness means.”

She said that even though she’s developed a thick skin to the negativity over the years, she’s human and it hurts.

“I’m human and it hurts. But I’ve grown such a thick skin that it doesn’t bother me so much anymore but when someone constantly does it, you can’t help but not notice these horrible messages”.

Lexi told TshisaLIVE that she’s incredibly blessed to have had an easy pregnancy with “zero” complications but every woman’s journey was different and it was so unfair of bullies to break someone else down.

"Each and every woman experience pregnancy differently. There are women who have struggled for years to fall pregnant and it’s so unfair for the next person to break them down. Weight gain, breakouts and all the symptoms of pregnancy are perfectly normal. Don’t even allow some random to get to you. Embrace your flaws and protect your space."

Despite being faced with such negativity, nothing can take away from the joy Lexi’s feeling about their bundle of joy’s arrival.

She revealed that they’ve decided not to find out their baby’s gender and were in for one big surprise.

Even though Lexi would not be drawn into revealing when exactly their bundle of joy was set to arrive, she day say her hospital bags were packed so it could be any day now.

Lexi said she was looking forward to every part of motherhood but is also really scared and nervous.

"God has chosen me to take care of a human being, I’m such a perfectionist but I am looking forward to the little chats we’ll have, the fun times…it’s just so weird because we (Mandla and I) are going to have a little human running around the house demanding whatever he or she wants. But we’re ready."